Columns

This is my very first letter to the editor. I have lived in this lovely, safe, convenient Town of Bedford Virginia for 48 years, and up to now, “everything seemed to be pretty much in order.” I cannot think of a better place in which to have lived with my husband Dave and our five children, David, Lee, Mark, Mary and Paul. Moving to Bedford gave us a wonderful life.

The brother of the swaggering little Texan – a term I proudly coined for our last and most hapless president – has yet to announce for his sibling’s old job, but it’s clear he’s running for it.
We know a lot about Jeb Bush. He was governor of Florida, where he helped his brother “win” that state in the 2000 election, under very dubious circumstances.

Senate Republicans are the least of President Barack Obama’s problems as he seeks to negotiate what looks like a bad nuclear deal with Iran. A couple of weeks ago his own party demonstrated that they don’t trust him when “Democrats” joined Republicans to pass a bill, on a 98-1 vote, that will allow Congress to weigh in on any deal President Obama negotiates.

Last month marked one year since we learned of the gross mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that resulted in tragic outcomes for those who have made countless sacrifices to protect our nation’s freedoms. The problems within the VA are the result of a broken system, and though our work is far from over, the House has worked to implement meaningful, structural reforms to ensure our veterans have the care they deserve.

Driving through the Sixth Congressional District is a lesson in the role small businesses play in shaping and growing our communities. Whether it’s a hardware store that’s been around for generations, an assisted living facility that prides itself on quality care, or a tech startup paving the way forward, small businesses are instrumental in driving local economies and providing jobs for our family members, neighbors, and friends. In fact, half of America’s workforce in the private sector is employed by small businesses.

I would like to share a few thoughts of my last four years on the School Board as everyone prepares to vote on June 9.
Kevin Willis and I joined the fight in Bedford County before we were ever elected to the board. Attending countless meetings, researching information becoming educated on the topics at hand.

The 2016 Republican presidential field now includes religious right candidates, for whom running for president is like riding their donkeys into Jerusalem.
A significant part of the party base (perhaps as much as 25 percent) is still said to be “evangelical Christians.”

Last month marked one year since we learned of the gross mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that resulted in tragic outcomes for those who have made countless sacrifices to protect our nation’s freedoms. The problems within the VA are the result of a broken system, and though our work is far from over, the House has worked to implement meaningful, structural reforms to ensure our veterans have the care they deserve.

Vermont’s independent U.S. Senator confirmed last week what many have suspected: Bernie Sanders will be a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.
If you don’t follow politics as intensely as I do, it’s possible you’ve never heard of him. But that’s going to change very soon.
Once known as “the socialist mayor of Burlington,” Vermont, Sanders was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012.